Once a defendant is convicted of a crime, a pre-sentence investigation is conducted, and a report is prepared for the Court to assist the judge in the sentencing process. The pre-sentence report is also used by supervising probation officers, correctional institutions and community treatment agencies to help guide in the supervision and rehabilitation of the individual.
The pre-sentence report is a comprehensive report that includes the crime’s impact on the victim and/or their family and focuses on the defendant’s criminogenic factors linked to rehabilitation and risk of new criminal conduct potential. The pre-sentence report is compiled by:
Identifying relevant criminogenic factors and support systems
Obtaining professional evaluations
Assessing the defendant’s conduct and character
Evaluating the defendant’s risk and needs
Assessing rehabilitative potential and appropriate placement
Pre-sentence Process Flowchart
